“It’s hard to defend four people at a time who can score,” Georgia forward Jasmine Hassell said. “It’s kind of hard to scout and plan to stop four people at a time instead of just one or two. If you try to double-team one person, they can just pass the ball out and somebody else can knock it down. It doesn’t limit us. It makes us tougher to guard and that’s great.”

Georgia is one of three teams in the Southeastern Conference (along with Tennessee and Vanderbilt) with four scorers averaging in double figures. Hassell leads the team at 14.0 per game. Sophomore guard Khaalidah Miller is second at 12.8, junior guard Jasmine James is third at 10.8 and junior forward Anne Marie Armstrong is fourth at 10.4. Senior guard Meredith Mitchell averages 8.4 a game but is the only member of the team to score in double figures in all three SEC games.

“We’re so balanced that it kind of alleviates some of the pressure,” Mitchell said. “We don’t have to rely on one or two people every night because we have such balanced scoring. It can be anyone on any night.”

No. 19 Georgia (13-3, 2-1) hosts Florida (11-5, 1-2) at 7 p.m. today in Stegeman Coliseum. On Sunday, Georgia bounced back from a flat performance at Tennessee to blow out host Auburn by 35. The difference in offensive balance showed up in those games. Georgia only had one double-figure scorer in the 80-51 loss to Tennessee (Mitchell with 14). But the Lady Bulldogs had four hit double figures against Auburn –— Hassell (14), James (14), Miller (12) and Mitchell (10).

“There’s not anybody who’s going to be able to help anybody else out on defense against them,” Florida coach Amanda Butler said. “You’ve got your hands full with whoever you’re guarding. The one nice thing with the personnel scout is it’s somewhat easier than with other teams because you know that those first five kids are going to play the bulk of the minutes. There’s not a lot of different people and their tendencies to learn. But those first five and the couple that come off of the bench are awfully good.”

The Lady Dogs’ balance comes as a bit of a departure from their roles in high school, when they dominated possessions. Miller, who scored 2,097 career points at Douglass High in Atlanta, said she was encouraged to hog the ball in high school.

“I was told that for us to win, I had to get 60 shots off in one game,” Miller said. “If I didn’t take that many, I’d get in trouble. It was different when I came here because I wasn’t used to passing the ball. But once you’re on a team with other players who can play at your same level, then it’s a lot easier to play.”

Spreading the scoring wealth can sometimes lead to some confusion about who should take nerve-testing shots at the end of games. Georgia has a three-year starter at guard in James who hit the game winner against Florida State in the NCAA Tournament last season.

“The one challenge that it poses is if you’re in a one-possession game, then who’s number to you call?,” Butler said. “What offensive set do you call to set up which player? I think for Georgia , even though they are all very capable and very important. I think Jasmine James is still their go-to girl. She just makes big plays in so many ways, not just in scoring, but will come up with huge offensive rebounds or a big three even is she’s not been looking for 3s.”

James has been a double-figure scorer throughout her Georgia career and Miller averaged 10.7 points in SEC games as a freshman last year. But Hassell and Armstrong have boosted their averages by four and three points a game, respectively, from last season.

“It’s experience and it’s a better understanding of how to play together and how to play the game,” Georgia coach Andy Landers said. “It’s improved play at individual positions — Hassell’s a better post player than she was last year. They’ve worked really hard to get better at the things they need to get better at. Then they’re more in sync with what the offense can give them – when, where, and why – when they’re out there so they find the shot.”

LAST MEETING: Georgia and Florida split two games last season with Florida winning 74-71 in Gainesville and Georgia winning 70-64 in Athens .

SEASON AT A GLANCE: Georgia responded to a lopsided defeat at Tennessee by blowing out Auburn 70-45 at Auburn on Sunday. Florida has lost two of its last three to start SEC play and fell 49-44 at home to South Carolina on Sunday.

NOTEWORTHY: All five of Georgia’s starters average between 4.4 and 5.8 rebounds a game with Tamika Willis averaging another 4.1 a game. Georgia’s top four forwards average a combined 33.7 points a game and its top four guards average 37.9 points a game. ... Georgia has two players in the SEC’s top 10 in assists — Jasmine James (No. 6 at 3.9) and Anne Marie Armstrong (No. 10 at 3.4). ... Jasmine Hassell ranks fourth in the SEC and 11th national in field goal shooting at 57.9 percent. ... More than half of Khaalidah Miller’s field goal attempts have been 3-pointers (38 of 74). ... Meredith Mitchell is the only Lady Bulldog to score in double figures in all three SEC games. ... Florida’s Jordan Jones is from Suwanee and Kayla Lewis is from Decatur . ... Florida’s Jennifer George has eight straight double-doubles, the sixth-longest streak in Gators history. ... Florida has not won in Athens since 2004.

— Roger Clarkson

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